I've never written poetry before, except a love poem I wrote to a boy in 2nd grade which my mother kept for reasons known only to herself. But I realized the other day that some of my writing, when spoken, has rhythm and all I needed to do was make it look like a poem. :) I offer here my firstborn.
God lives in my heart.
God lives above, in the rays that poke through thick clouds.
And God lives in hospital beds
preschool playgrounds
in the tears of a suffering parent
in the cuddliness of a bunny
in the homeless guy sleeping in the church doorway.
The God I know today,
the one I described before,
is not the same god I grew up with.
The God I know today
isn't the same god I was taught about from the time I was little.
That god was a punishing, angry, jealous god.
That god was a white-robed white-bearded throne-sitting Judge with a capital J.
The God I know today doesn't really have form,
Not old or young
Not male or female,
although I often picture Whoopie Goldberg in the role.
The God I know today holds me accountable
Or maybe I should say,
the God I know today teaches me to hold myself accountable
The God i know today will always forgive,
always comfort,
always be present in times of joy and pain
The God I know today loves.
Everyone
Even me
Even the young man who killed all those children.
The God I know today really really really wants
To embrace us
To have us embrace each other
To be embraced back
The god I know today not only doesn't care
whether I am Catholic or Lutheran or Disciple or Quaker,
but also doesn't care if I am Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist
or even Atheist
so long as my life is lived with love for my neighbor.
The God I know today...
loves
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